Slept Right Through the Dawn
by singyourmelody
Summary: Maggie Dekker, post 2.10, "Sonoma." Sleeping together is supposed to change everything. But maybe not all suppositions are true.
1. Thought of You and Where You'd Gone

"Slept Right Through the Dawn"

By: singyourmelody

Disclaimer: I do not own anything. If I did, Eli Stone would not be cancelled and Jonny Lee Miller would sing and dance for me every day. Title belongs to The Weepies and their incredible song, "The World Spins Madly On." Seriously amazing. Listen to it. Love it.

A/N: Spoilers up through 2.10, "Sonoma." I haven't seen any of the remaining episodes beyond that one, although I know many people have. So, my apologies if this goes against anything that happens next to these characters.

"_I thought of you and where you'd gone_

_And the world spins madly on."_

~The Weepies

Sleeping together was supposed to change everything.

Maggie Dekker didn't have a long history of sexual conquests, but she did learn that relationships changed after having sex. They grew and stretched and morphed into something completely different. Sometimes they fell apart. Sometimes they became stronger. And sometimes they destroyed you, sucking all the oxygen from the room until you gasp for some piece of normality, for life to return as it once was.

Maggie's first boyfriend was Kevin Dunn. He was the boy-next-door type. Smart and somewhat cocky, but with a heart of gold. She fell for him instantly and he for her. It started in tenth grade and emotions were high. But there was always a piece she held back from Kevin. As if she somehow knew, in the back of her mind, that she wasn't ready for that kind of intimate connection. He dumped her on the eve of their Junior Prom. She was expecting it, but it still hurt. She went to Prom anyway.

She lost her virginity her senior year of high school. Matt Wilson was sophisticated and charming and they had been flirting for months. And so maybe she was a little bit drunk. It was a party, after all, that's what people were supposed to do. So with a three terrible peach margaritas threatening to come back up at any moment, she led him to his car, told him to drive to the nearest parking lot, and pulled him in the back seat. They dated for three months before they both left their separate ways for college. Somehow she doesn't actually regret it. The first time wasn't supposed to be perfect or anything near it, right?

Trevor Colson was a whole different ballgame and she knew it the instant she met him at their college orientation. He was quiet at first, but had a sense of humor unlike anyone she ever knew. He could always make her laugh, and she was drawn to his confidence. He never needed to put on a show, but he did for her, anyway.

She fell in love with him.

They dated for a year and a half and her first time with Trevor was completely different than her time with Matt. He was soft and gentle and assuaged all of her fears and nervousness. It was almost everything she dreamed it would be. The next day Trevor started bringing up the conversation of marriage. Talking about their kids and how they would buy a house in the suburbs where she would stay at home while little Katie grew up and he would "bring home the bacon." Maggie freaked. They broke up the next day. She cried for months.

Scott was the only man she had slept with more than once, she realized one morning as she made pancakes for them. She didn't mind though. He was her match. The long distance thing was hard, but they were making it work. It just made the time they did spend together that much more special. Or something like that, she kept rationalizing. When Eli told her that Scott was cheating on her, all she could do was think about that one morning when she asked him, pleaded with him, to move to the city and stay with her. He refused and now she knew why. She watched "Snapped" on the Oxygen network for a week straight.

Sleeping with Eli Stone was supposed to change everything. Maggie knew it would happen eventually. There was a friendship there and an attraction there and maybe, just maybe, the hint of something long lasting. So with "Red Red Wine" humming in the background and an empty bottle of red wine on the table next to them, Maggie kissed him. Or did he kiss her? Did it even matter?

Ten hours later he pretended to be asleep, she called him on it, and they had "the talk." The "I Like You as a Colleague and as a Friend, but This Really Can't Go Any Farther" talk. The "We Slept Together, but Nothing Changes" talk. And Maggie was sick of it. With Eli, it was supposed to be different. Relationship defining different. Life changing different.

So as she poured over emails and memos from their latest case, she heard her phone buzzing next to her. She looked at the caller ID. "Eli."

Maggie sighed, set the phone back down and went back to her evidence.

Eli wasn't supposed to be another one-time name to add to her list. He was supposed to be the last name on the list.

_A/N: That's all for now. I'm thinking this will be a two-parter or a three-parter. Thanks for reading and reviewing!_


	2. The Whole World is Moving

"Slept Right Through the Dawn"

By: singyourmelody

Disclaimer: I do not own anything. If I did, Eli Stone would not be cancelled and Jonny Lee Miller would sing and dance for me every day. Title belongs to The Weepies and their incredible song, "The World Spins Madly On." Seriously amazing. Listen to it. Love it.

A/N: Spoilers up through 2.10, "Sonoma." I haven't seen any of the remaining episodes beyond that one, although I know many people have. So, my apologies if this goes against anything that happens next to these characters.

"**The Whole World is Moving, and I'm Standing Still"**

The blinking red light shone brightly against the darkened room. Maggie sat on her couch and watched it. Blink. One two three. Blink. One two three. Blink. It was nothing. Blink. If not consistent. Blink. Should she maybe. Blink. Just maybe. . . Blink. Give him a chance? Blink. Listen to what he is . . . Blink. Trying to tell her?

After fourteen, yes, she counted, voicemails on her cell phone and eight unanswered emails, Eli tried a new method to get her attention: her landline. As Maggie's answering machine blinked on and off, on and off, on and off, she thought about her options. She could go to him, confess that she is still in love with him (may have always been, may always be, but he doesn't need to know that right now). She could lay it all out there for him to see. And risk getting her heart trampled, again. After all, Eli Stone is an expert at rejecting her.

Or she could save her pride, move on, and have a happy life. Pick herself up by the bootstraps and all that. Meet someone new. Marry him. Create a life together that doesn't involve brain tumors, or hospital visits, or envisioned song and dance numbers. Or passion. Because after everything her and Eli have been through, they know how to bring out the worst in each other. And the best. That night with him was the most amazing night she had ever known.

But she was tired of chasing him. Sometimes you just need to let things go.

_Letting go_, she thought as she stood, finally, and pressed the "play" button on the machine.

"Maggie, it's Eli," his voice rang out throughout her apartment. "I'm sure you know that it's me already, I mean who else would be calling you this much? And emailing? And texting. Did you get my texts? I'm starting to feel like a stalker . . . um, okay, so this is kinda awkward. I need to talk to you, Maggie, really _talk_ to you, but I understand that you don't want to see me or talk to me. I wanted to do this in person, but since, we, um, can't. . ."

The voice paused.

"Do you remember the day the firm split up? The day you told me you loved me? I think about that every day. When I wake up in the morning, my first thought is about my head. 'Is today going to be the day that my tumor goes crazy and kills me?'" He let out a small chuckle. "My second thought is always, without fail, 'Why did I let her walk away from the firm? And from me. . .' I don't second guess myself often. Unless it's about visions of course, which I do have often, so I guess I'm not really making any sense, but, um, what I'm trying to say, Maggie, is that if I could have done that day differently, out of any other day, I would have. I would have told you how much you mean to me. How much you have brought to my life. How I don't want to lose your friendship. How I think there could be something more between us. How, I, I, how I had a vision about _us_. You and me. In the future. We were married and had a baby and we were doing great things together. I'm just rambling now." He paused. "I want you in my life, Maggie, in every possible way. That's what I should have said the morning after we slept together. That's what I should've said the day you told me you loved me. I guess that's it. I miss you."

Beep.

Maggie stared at the machine in shock as tears spilled down her face. So much for letting go. She grabbed her keys and headed for her car.

Ten minutes later, she stood nervously outside his door. She raised her hand and knocked.

"Coming!" she heard him yell as he walked towards to door.

It opened and she saw Eli, dressed in blue flannel pajama bottoms and tee-shirt. When he saw her, his face lit up, a mixture of complete relief and excitement.

Her eyes met his. "Hey."

_A/N: Another stopping point or the end? I can't decide. Please read and review! Thanks and love to all._


	3. Let the World Spin Madly On

"Slept Right Through the Dawn"

By: singyourmelody

Disclaimer: I do not own anything. If I did, Eli Stone would not be cancelled and Jonny Lee Miller would sing and dance for me every day. Title belongs to The Weepies and their incredible song, "The World Spins Madly On." Seriously amazing. Listen to it. Love it.

A/N: Spoilers up through 2.10, "Sonoma." I haven't seen any of the remaining episodes beyond that one, although I know many people have. So, my apologies if this goes against anything that happens next to these characters.

"**Let the World Spin Madly On"**

Her eyes met his. "Hey."

"Maggie." He said finally, a small smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. They stood there for a moment.

"So, can I come in?" Maggie finally asked.

"Oh, I'm sorry, of course. Please do." Eli replied, opening the door a little farther so that she could enter.

"I, um, got your message," she said, as he shut the door behind her.

"Which one?" he asked, laughing.

"The one on my answering machine."

His eyes widened. "Oh, that one."

"Yes, that one," she said, staring at the ground, her face breaking into a smile. "You are very persistent, Eli Stone."

"I've heard that before. I prefer to think of it as a good quality, although I've known several people who, well . . . don't."

They sat down on his couch.

"Well I would say it worked this time. I'm here, aren't I?" she replied.

"Yes, you are."

That sat for a few moments in silence.

"Eli, I feel like I need to apologize. I was being overly sensitive and a bit judgmental of you. I just, I just didn't want to get hurt again," Maggie said, finally.

"And you thought I would hurt you?" he questioned.

"Well, every other time we've ever gotten close to anything resembling a relationship, you've pulled back, breaking me a little bit each time."

He stared at her.

Finally, he cleared his throat. "I'm sorry, Maggie. I didn't realize what I was doing and it wasn't fair to you."

"Well, it's in the past now, right?"

Neither one said anything.

"I meant what I said, Maggie. I want you in my life." He reached out and took her hand. "I just am worried. I can't promise you forever."

Now it was her turn to stare. "Eli, aren't you jumping the gun here a little bit?" she questioned. She was definitely surprised. Sure, when she had first starting working at WPK, she had had momentary fantasies about their lives together. Married. Three children. A dog perhaps. Family trips to visit exotic locations like the Grand Canyon. But it only took a few choice words from Eli to make her daydreams about their future come crashing down. And she was the wiser for it.

"No, that's just it, Maggie!" Eli said, his voice rising with every word. "I want to be able to offer you the future. I want to be able to give you my life. I want to give you everything! But I can't. I have no idea what tomorrow brings or if I will even be here."

Maggie focused on the ceiling tiles above Eli's head. She sighed. "I know this, Eli. I do. But, but what about your vision? The one of us together? In the future. You said. . ."

"I know what I said, Maggie. But I've also learned that my visions can be altered."

"Altered."

"Changed. That things I do today can affect what I've seen. Transform it into something else."

She thought about this for a moment.

"So you think that the vision you had about you and me is not going to come true. . ." she stood and turned towards the door.

"That's not what I said, Maggie."

"Oh, really? Because I'm getting some pretty crossed signals from you here, Eli. One minute you are refusing to let me let you go and the next you're telling me that we can't be together now because you may die tomorrow."

He recoiled a bit when she said "die."

She saw this and said, "Yes, I said it, Eli. I know this already. I know you may die tomorrow, but you know what? So might I! I might get hit by a taxi on my way to work or get smashed by a falling file cabinet or, or, I might die of a brain aneurysm. You never know. We can't know these things." Now she was the one yelling. "I don't even know why I came over here. I was right; I need to just let you go."

She turned once again to the door. "Why can't I just let you go?" she whispered.

"Because you're not supposed to," he replied.

She paused with her hand on the door. "What, so I'm just supposed to follow you around like a lost puppy, as you go off saving the world, even though you still don't want me? Even I know I deserve better than that."

"No, Maggie. That's not what I mean. Ugh, none of this is coming out right. What I meant before was that I can't promise you forever. Not that I don't want to, because I do. But I want to be with you. Right now. And tomorrow, if I'm here. And forty years from now, if I'm here and you're here and you still want to be with me. But I needed you to know all the facts before you decide. I couldn't live with myself if I felt like I wasn't completely realistic and honest with you about what this relationship may mean."

"What it may mean?" she said, taking a step closer to him.

"Yeah, hospital visits. And me sometimes randomly bursting into song. And confusion. And probably some yelling. Lord knows you and I can yell at each other. And maybe some genuine craziness. I can't promise I'm not going crazy." He smiled.

"Eli, how long have you and I been friends?"

"I don't know, about two years."

"Mmhmm. And how long have you had hospital visits and given concerts in the halls of WPK?"

"About two years."

"And how many times have we yelled at each other and been confused at the other's actions and thought the other one was crazy?"

"Well, I've never thought you were crazy. . ."

She gave him a pointed look.

"Okay, maybe once or twice. I get your point. We've always been good friends."

"That's just it, Eli. We've always been good friends. I've always known all of those things about you. That's nothing new to me. And you've always known how I can be slightly neurotic and maybe a tiny bit overeager. . ."

"A tiny bit?" he asked, one eyebrow raised.

"Hey now, don't push it." She nudged his shoulder.

They stood there in silence.

"Maggie, are you sure you want to do this? In case you haven't noticed, I'm slightly damaged goods," he said finally.

She took a step closer to him and looked directly into his eyes. "And in case you haven't noticed, I like a challenge," she said as she reached up and kissed him_. _

0~0~0~0~0~0~0~0~0~0~0

_October 16, 2018_

The large square lights cast a slightly yellow glow on the young woman and the child she was holding. The man standing next to her, hand placed on the small of her back, leaned forward and gave the baby a kiss, before climbing the stairs that led to the massive stage. The roar of the applause was overwhelming and the young woman smiled, as chants of "Live Brave! Live Brave!" echoed through the streets.

_A/N: Finished! Thanks for taking the time to read and review. I have not yet seen the final three episodes of Eli Stone, but I am looking forward to seeing how they wrap it all up. Love to all of the Eli Stone fans still out there._


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